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The vast majority, 111 cases, were from the sporadic form of the disease - the kind doctors think Brian had, which develops with no known cause.

Only one death in 2016 was from the variant form of CJD associated with infected cattle.

Of the other deaths, four died from a genetic version of the disease and the single remaining case was classed as latrogenic, meaning the disease was passed on from contamination with tissue from an infected person, usually as the result of a medical procedure.

But Julie fears the possibility of a second wave of deaths linked to the BSE epidemic in the late 1980s and 1990s.

Julie said: “We were told it was a one-in-a-million. They’ve told me they are 96% certain it’s sporadic.

“To determine whether his disease was linked to cattle they would need to do a post mortem. But they won’t do one so I can’t say 100%.

“Out of all the deaths from CJD last year - just one had a post mortem.

“I believe there will be more outbreaks of CJD going forward.

“People don’t know about it - I thought it was all finished years ago.